Of Science and Magic
by Enzeru Tomoshibi
Summary: More of the magical underground world is revealed as the one person who ties it all together steps back into the lives of Byron Orpheus and Pete White,
1. Chapter 1

"Imagine that's your child on the other side of the fence!" The trainer yelled as three young women climbed a wooden fence.

An older woman in white robes approached the trainer and smiled, "I see the new recruits are doing well."

"Lady paladin," the trainer gasped and bowed slightly.

"No need for that. Tell me, how are they advancing?"

"Quickly. I'll be able to have them in the field soon."

"Give them an extra hour of handbook study. Knowledge is a greater weapon than any blade."

"As you wish."

The young women reached the end of the course.

"Take five ladies," the trainer ordered before returning her attention to the paladin, "I heard you will be leaving us for a while."

"Yes. I have some personal matters and a lot of vacation time to attend to."

"The master ordered it, didn't he?"

"Why else would I leave my home?"

"I wish you the best, I will keep you no longer."

The two women bowed lightly to each other before the paladin walked away.

It wasn't long before she had went back inside the main building before a druid rushed up to her.

"Lady paladin, please be careful. There are reports that the guild is more active than ever."

"The guild is no worry of mine. They are just normal humans capable of extraordinary things."

"What about…"

"Stop. I will not have my cousin's name spoken in these hallowed halls."

"I'm sorry."

"Easily forgiven, you had no way of knowing. One of the new recruits will probably become your apprentice, be ready by the end of the week."

"Thank you for the warning."

"I must finish preparations."

"Good luck."

"I'll need it where I'm going."

"Where's that?"

"The Venture compound."

"Oh my goddess, you have to be kidding."

"Nope."

"You old boyfriend is a Venture?"

"Eww, no. He's a necromancer, wait, he was never my boyfriend. Don't try to confuse me," the paladin laughed.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself," the druid smirked back.

"I have to go, like, now if I want to get the rest of my things."

The paladin began jogging up a staircase.

"Don't forget your crystal!" The druid called after her.

"I won't!"

The paladin left the druid behind and made her way to the third floor of the massive structure. Two doors away she entered a room that was cleared of everything save a crystal sphere and a suitcase.

She waved a hand over the crystal, "Are you there master?"

"Yes, my lady."

"I am leaving now, as you ordered."

"Don't think of this as a mission, more of a visit, a chance to see an old friend."

"Thank you master, I will."

"Then go and be you."

The crystal went dark and then clear again. The paladin packed it in the open suitcase on her bed. This was it, she was leaving her home for the first time in twenty years to stay somewhere she didn't know that wasn't a forest, swamp, or desert.

The paladin left her room, suitcase in hand, and hurried down the stairs. She made her way to the platform in front of the main building.

"The lady wishes to travel?" A mage asked her.

"Yes, you know where I must go."

"Then speak your name and be on your way."

"Enzeru Tomoshibi."


	2. Chapter 2

The rain had just stopped pounding on the walls of the Venture compound. Two days of bad weather had kept most of the occupants indoors, but one person felt it necessary to make his daily rounds as normal.

"Alright, boys, it seems like the fence is intact and I don't see any psychos out here," Brock said as a blond haired boy stepped outside.

"I told you rain chases away the baddies." Hank said as he looked back at his brother, a brown haired boy.

"I never said there were any," Dean replied.

"Poor little Deano, I think he hit his head on something," Hank shook his head and picked up a football from the steps.

"Take that back you meanie!" Dean replied.

"I was just goofing, catch," Hank threw the football to his brother, who caught it full in the chest.

"You boys play nice, I'm going to go check the gate again," Brock replied.

Meanwhile a feminine figure in a white hooded cloak was approaching the gate. She examined it a moment and then pushed it open. It creaked as if there was a month of rust in the gears.

"Miss, I'll have to ask you to leave this is private property," Brock said as he approached the woman walking through the gate.

"I come seeking Byron," The woman said as she continued her approach.

"Are you friend or family? He doesn't get many visitors," Brock replied, "He's around back, I'll take you to him."

The woman removed her hood to reveal dark hair and pale blue eyes, "Good to know I'm in the right place."

As Brock led the woman across the compound her unusual appearance attracted the attention of the boys.

"Who's that woman with Brock?" Dean asked.

"Probably his new girl friend, yep, I bet he gets a new one every day. But you wouldn't know anything about that." Hank replied as he picked up the football Dean had half thrown half dropped.

"No, cause I'm a one woman man." Dean sighs a little at the thought of his special person.

The woman ignores the presence of the boys as she passes.

"So how long have you known Dr. O?" Brock asked.

"Since we were very young. It has been a long time since we last spoke. He isn't expecting me." The woman replied.

"So are you two...?" Brock began.

"No." The woman replied.

The two of them approached Dr. Orpheus's door.

"This is it. I better go check on Dr. Venture, I left the gate open and anything could have snuck in." Brock said and began to walk away.

The woman knocked on the door three times before ringing the bell.

Meanwhile behind the door a necromancer was in his kitchen with a cup of coffee and a newspaper. Before the doorbell even rang he stood up made his way to the door as if he felt the presence of another gifted with powers those around him seems oblivious to.

The door slowly opened and the towering forum of Dr. Byron Orpheus appeared.

"Why are you reading about black magics?" the woman asked in a sweet girly voice as a smirk formed on her face.

"Enzeru! Is that really you? It's been ages. Come in, come in!" Byron ushered his friend inside.

"I felt I was long overdue visiting you and seeing as how I was more or less told to go on vacation or be kicked out I decided to come here. How are you?" Enzeru said as she glanced around.

"As you can see my sense of style hasn't changed much." Byron laughed a little as he offered his guest a seat.

Enzeru smiled a little, "Good to see you haven't changed." She sat down and crossed her legs.

"Why is it I never see you when I go to teach my conjuring class?" He asked, sitting down in a chair across from her.

"I'm either locked in my office doing paper work or out cleaning up someone else's mess." Enzeru smirked and waved her hand in the air as if to signify coming and going.

"Would you like something to drink?" Byron asked.

"Not really, but thanks. How's the whole 'Triad' business going?" She replied.

"I can't seem to get then to take it seriously. It's like they think it's a game."

"Let yourself have fun."

"You sound like my Master."

"Mine was the one who quoted that to me my first mission as a paladin. I tried to do everything perfect and by the book but there were times the book did not apply and times when there were no perfect choices."

Byron smiled a little, "I see. Then I shall vow to enjoy fighting my arch!" He was a bit more dramatic on that last bit.

Enzeru giggled.

"What?"

She giggled again. "Nothing."

"Last time someone giggled at me like that I said 'duty'"

Enzeru shook her head. "It's nothing, just one of your little mannerisms that always makes me laugh."

"Ok, now you got me curious, tell me."

"How your voice gets all dramatic like when it comes to some of the smallest things."

"I see."

"Don't worry, it's a good funny."

Meanwhile in Dr. Venture's lab.

"Hey pop," Hank said as he walked over to Dr. Venture, who was working on some odd machine.

"Don't get mud on my blueprints," Dr. Venture barked.

"Have you met Brock's new girlfriend?"

"Another one? He just got a new one yesterday."

"Hey doc, the gate's broken, I'm going to need to borrow HELPER for a little while." Brock said as he walked into the lab.

"Hank was just telling me about your new girlfriend. Is she hot?" Dr. Venture's face formed into a sly expression.

"You met her yesterday, and yes she's hot."

"That's not the same girl you were with today," Hank replied.

"That wasn't my girlfriend, she was a friend of Dr. O's." Brock said as he picked up a remote from the toolbox on the floor.

"Is she hot?" Dr. Venture asked.

"She seems like one of those conservative types, but I guess as far as that goes, she's pretty," Brock replied as he rubbed his neck uncomfortably.

"Well, she's a new person on my property, woman or not, I should probably go meet her," Dr. Venture said as he stood up and brushes off his speed suit.

"Won't it look suspicious, you just going over there?" Brock asked.

"That's why I decided to let the boys throw a Halloween party this year." Dr. Venture's face was once more a sly grin.

"Thanks pop!" Hank exclaimed before running off to change into 'The Bat'.

"I'm going to go fix the gate." Brock said, clearly wanting no part of this, and walked out of the room.

"Great, I'll head over to Dr. Orpheus's place and let him know about the party," Dr. Venture smirked and also left the lab.

"Treana will be home soon, you haven't seen her since she was a baby. Care to stay a while?" Dr. Orpheus asked Enzeru.

"I wouldn't want to intrude, but I would like to see the young one again," Enzeru looked at the door just as a knock came.

"I wonder who that could be," Byron rushed to the door and opened it with magic, "Hello there Dr. Venture."

"I thought I'd let you be the first to know I'm letting the boys have a Halloween party," Dr. Venture said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had company."

"Come in. I'd like for you to meet my old friend, Enzeru." Byron stood aside so Dr. Venture could come in.

Enzeru raised an eyebrow and then stood out of politeness. "Hello."

"I wasn't aware Dr. Orpheus had any lady friends." Dr. Venture said as he sat down close to where Enzeru was sitting.

"Well, I haven't been around a lot lately. I've been working a lot more than what my Master thinks is healthy." Enzeru replied.

"Master? Don't tell me you're one of those Necro-mumbo-jumbo people too."

Enzeru glowered, "It's not 'mumbo-jumbo' it's a genuine art and a science. I, however, did not choose that path. It didn't suit me. I choose to be a paladin."

"A what?"

"You know how you hear about 'super heroes' defeating 'monsters' that's us."

"In other words, she cleans up the messes left by magic and science. Paladins protect the weak and innocent from the grim deaths that would surely befall them," Dr. Orpheus replied in an overly dramatic tone.

"Oh, well, I need to get back to planning the party for the boys. I'll see you both there," Dr. Venture replied before leaving.

"What an odd man," Enzeru commented once he had left.

"Well, none the less, we've both been invited to his 'Halloween' party." Dr. Orpheus said, propping his feet on an ottoman.

"We should probably go. Maybe I'll wear my armor as a costume." Enzeru replied.

"I'm not sure how good of an idea it would be for me to clothe myself like a vampire, one of my friends slays them for a living." Dr. Orpheus sat thinking a moment, "The whole idea of costumes is silly."

"Don't worry, you'll come up with something. I know, you can go as Dr. Strange. He doesn't wear anything too different than you and I'm sure we can find everything we need for the costume easily."

Dr. Orpheus grinned, "That is a fantastic idea! He's been my idol since I was a small boy."

"Then it's settled."


	3. Chapter 3

While Dr. Orpheus and Enzeru sat talking about the old days they failed to notice Treana come in until she shut the door behind her.

"How was school today, pumpkin?" Dr. Orpheus asked as soon as her saw her.

"It was alright I guess." Treana replied.

"That's good. Pumpkin, this is my old friend, Enzeru. She will be staying for a little while as our guest."

Enzeru stood up and nodded slowly, "Nice to meet you."

Treana looked at Enzeru a moment and then started to walk off, "Whatever."

"Does she think I'm her?"

"I don't think so," Byron replied.

"That's good, last thing I need is for that to get around." Enzeru sat back down.

They sat a few moments in silence before there came a pounding on the door.

"I wonder who that could be," Dr. Orpheus said as he stood up to answer it. He put his hand on the knob and withdraw it quickly.

"What's wrong?" Enzeru asked.

"There is only one person who could heat a door knob like that, fetch me a pot holder!" Dr. Orpheus became very dramatic.

Enzeru rushed to the direction he pointed in, hoping it was the kitchen. It was and there was a pot holder on the counter. She grabbed the pot holders on the table and returned.

Byron was clearly readying himself to attack, "When you open the door hide behind it. You do not want to get blasted by the shadows of hell!"

She took a deep breath and opened the door using the potholders. Enzeru hid behind it as Byron had said.

Dr. Orpheus released a powerful blast of necromancer power on whoever was at the door. "Shut it!"

Enzeru quickly shut the door. "What?"

"That was my arch. Chances are he's up to something bigger than making me burn my hand."

"Well, there is something I know the location of that is quite invaluable. Ever hear of the living flame?"

"Who hasn't? How do you know where it is?"

"My father told me when I was really young. He trusts me to keep it out of the hands of his brother's side of the family."

"What does your uncle have to do with my arch?"

"My uncle is your arch's father."

"Then that makes us enemies?"

"Far from it. It make is stronger allies than before. You see, my cousin's father is a few minutes younger than my father which makes me the heir to all the family secrets and such. The jerk has been trying to kill me for years."

"Too bad there is no room on my team."

"We could always do like a Charley's angels thing."

"Perhaps so."

"Whether or not I'll adhere to the not fighting ideals or not is still left to be seen." Enzeru smirked.

"I'll think it over and talk to the others." Byron replied as he looked at his watch. "It is getting late. Are you staying anywhere by chance?"

"No, I was thinking about camping a little west of here and continuing my journey later."

"Then why not stay here? We have plenty of room and a working toilet." Byron was very dramatic when he said the last part.

Enzeru giggled.

"What?" Byron asked.

"You did it again."

Meanwhile outside of the Venture compound a mad sat flaming and rubbing his arm.

"How the hell did he know it was me?" Torrid grumbled.

"Because you're way too obvious," A snobby voice replied from behind a tree.

"Who goes there?" Torrid flamed up.

"Settle down. It's me, the guild's number two," Phantom Limb limped out from behind the tree, his body supported by a makeshift crutch.

"What the hell you doin here?" Torrid asked as he let his guard down ever so slightly.

"I'm here to seek help getting my revenge against those awful Ventures and their necromancer neighbor."

"I thought you were seekin revenge on that big butterfly."

"I was but I thought I'd start with someone the sovereign isn't protecting and not expecting me to attack. Who better than an aging necromancer?"

"Alright, I'm in."

"First we will need to watch him, see what mannerisms he has that we might be able to use against him."

"He has a daughter and some other woman is over at his place."

"Excellent start. Now I'll require Dr. Venture's lab long enough to create a new leg and arm."

"Let me guess, we need to watch them too."

"That is what I will be doing."

Back in Dr. Orpheus's home Enzeru lay awake on the pull out sofa bed wondering what adventure was in store for her next.

The feeling of trouble was in the air but she expected that Treana leaving out at midnight might be the cause. Byron knew about this but seemed blind to the fact that his daughter was going to an un-chaperoned party with guys and all kinds of illegal substances could be there. Perhaps it was her instincts or her paranoia that worried her, but Enzeru was indeed worried.

Enzeru got out of bed and sighed. She was not going to get any sleep like this. She turned on a light and made her way to the door of Byron's room, "Are you awake?" She whispered.

"I am," he called back, "You don't have to whisper."

Enzeru said down in front of his door and turned her back to it, "I am worried for Treana's safety."

"She always does this. Do not worry; she will be back in the morning." Byron assured his friend.

"I don't know." Enzeru sighed, "Have you ever just had a bad feeling?"

"Yes, and usually it was right." Byron replied.

Enzeru heard footsteps and the door behind her opened. She looked up at her friend, "Do you have that bad feeling now?"

"It is weak, but yes, I have a bad feeling. What do you think we should do?"

"Bring your daughter home."

"That should be easy; she carried one of those portable phones when she goes out just in case of emergency. Now where did I put that number? To the kitchen!" Byron jumped over Enzeru and bounded for the kitchen.

Enzeru quickly stood up and followed. When she had reached the kitchen Enzeru watched as a frantic father dialed his daughter's cell phone number.

"Pumpkin, this is daddy, you need to come home, it's not safe to be out tonight. That's not a good idea. I'm serious; it's too dangerous for you to be out on your own tonight. See you soon then, bye." Byron sighed and sat at the kitchen table.

"What happened?"

"She got angry, yelled, and said she would come home."

"Ok then. At least she is coming home then."

"I hope you're right."

"I hope so too. I have no clue what danger lies nearby."

A few minutes later the front door slammed shut. The young girl stomped into the kitchen, "Thanks for ruining my life." She left the room before any reply could be made.

"I will talk to her before tomorrow. I bet boys were somehow involved in all this."

Enzeru laughed, "Well, what matters is that she is home and safe."

"There is always the party tomorrow."  
"I changed my mind on my costume. I have an old dress fashioned after what the ladies of court wore in Russia during the Romanov dynasty. I thought I'd wear that."

Byron nodded his head. His mind seemed to be focused on something else.

"Something wrong?"

"I'm trying to think of a way to make it up to her."

"She shouldn't be sneaking out anyway."

"I just don't want to be as hard on her as my father was on me."

"Tomorrow is another day and she will have forgotten it by then."

"I certainly hope you are right."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Enzeru fastened the gold hoop earrings as she stood in front of the mirror beside Dr. Orpheus's front door. "Come on, we're going to be late," she called after her friend.

"Don't worry, we will be fashionably late!" Dr. Byron Orpheus exclaimed as he began entered the room from the downstairs bathroom.

"Is Treana coming?" Enzeru asked, looking to the stairs.

"Oh, she will be down in just a moment. I'm not so sure she can find a costume," Byron also looked to the stairs. "Pumpkin, are you coming to the Venture's little party?"

"No, it's lame, dad." Treana called back.

"Come on, it might be fun," Enzeru yelled at the stairs.

"I'm not coming," Treana sang back.

"But Pumpkin your little friends are expecting you to be there. Don't you want to go see Dean?" Dr. Orpheus replied.

"Fine, I'll go. But I am not wearing a stupid costume and I am not calling Hank 'the bat'." Treana replied as she started slowly down the stairs.

The Orpheus home was not the only one preparing for the party. The Ventures were also getting prepared.

"Why did I ever agree to this stupid party?" Dr Venture grumbled as he straightened his tie and big glasses.

"Because you were trying to get the attention of a woman who has absolutely no interest in you?" Brock replied.

Dr. Venture turned around to see his bodyguard dressed like a CIA agent. "Well, your costume is better than mine."

"You kidding me? All I did was put on a tux and shades with a little headset thing in my ear." Brock shook his head. There was an awkward silence, "I'm going to go see how the boys are doing."

With that Brock left his boss and made his way down the hall. He came to the boy's room and knocked before opening the door. "You boys in your costumes yet?"

"Hank is being the bat again?" Dean replied and pointed to his brother who was sitting at a desk fiddling with something.

"The bat has finished his newest weapon," Hank said as he held up a loaded nerf gun.

"Where is your costume Dean?" Brock asked.

"I'm wearing it silly. I'm dressed up as Mr. Rogers. He was a wonderful example to young children in the 80's." Dean replied and he smoothed out his maroon sweater.

"You're kidding?" Brock began and before Dean could answer and replied, "Don't answer that. I'll be down stairs greeting the guests. Your father will be the one dressed like a comedian you kids probably would never have heard of since he was way before your time."

With that Brock left the room and made his way down stairs. No sooner had he arrived in the entry room then there was a knock on the door. He answered the door.

"Hello Brock, we're here for the party," A short man answered with a lisp.

"I wasn't aware this was a costume party or I would have dressed the part," A taller man with a parasol added.

"It's too late now, Pete, it would be best if we tried to blend in," the man with the lisp replied.

"Come in," Brock said as he let them in.

"Billy, you can blend in all you want, but I am going to smooze." Pete said as he put away his parasol.

Slowly people arrived one at a time, in pairs or small groups.

"I think I forgot something," Enzeru told Byron as she fussed over her hair.

"You both look fine." Dr. Orpheus replied with a smile for both his daughter and friend before he knocked on the door.

Hank answered the door, "The bat welcomes you to his lair." He stepped aside to let them in, "Dean, your girl friend is here."

"Yeah right, I'm not going to fall for that one," Dean replied as he came around the corner. "Hey Treana, glad you came." His face turned the same color as his sweater.

"Yeah, well, I've not been able to get out of the house much lately." Treana replied and shifted her eyes sideways at her father, "Let's go in the other room."

Enzeru removed her coat and put it with the others.

"Woah, who is that hottie?" Pete asked Billy as he spotted the woman in the gold dress.

"I don't know, I've never seen her before. She appears to be here with Dr. Orpheus. Do you think that is Treana's mother?" Billy asked.

"I doubt it, she has that 'never been pregnant' figure," Pete replied.

"Not many people with costumes," Enzeru hissed to Dr. Orpheus.

"Not sure how you can tell," Byron replied under his breath.

"Oh, looks like they have karaoke," Enzeru exclaimed gleefully as some kid screamed lyrics to some rock song.

"That is Brock's son. They recently met each other and he occasionally visits. He and Hank seem to be friends, that would be the batman child you met earlier," Byron informed.

"Let's go sit and watch," Enzeru said as she led Byron to the chairs gathered around the makeshift stage.

"If I am going to be watching this I think I will need something for my head and a drink, do you want anything?" Dr. Orpheus rubbed his forehead.

"No thanks, I will be fine," Enzeru replied as she took a seat in the front row.

"I'll be back," Pete told Billy and left his seat in the center of the room for one in the front row of the karaoke corner. "Hello there miss, I haven't seen you around before."

"Oh, hello," Enzeru said with a smile, "I was in town visiting a friend and was invited here by chance. I'm Enzeru, and you are?"

"I'm Pete White. I am CEO of Conjectural Technologies." Pete replied.

"That's nice. Have you known Dr. Venture a long time?" Enzeru asked.

"Since college, we were both DJs at the college radio station. I had my own show," Pete said with a proud grin.

Enzeru blinked a moment and her eyes widened, "Wait a moment. The show wasn't called 'the white room' by any chance was it?"

"Why yes it was," Pete began before being cut off.

"I used to listen to your show every day. Do you remember a young woman calling in at the beginning of your show every day?" Enzeru asked.

"How could I forget?" Pete sighed.

"That was me. My room mate thought I was being stupid, but I haven't heard anything about her in the last few years. In fact, last I heard she was into villainy." Enzeru reminisced. "Too bad they canceled your show for playing that prank."

"Did you hear it? I haven's laughed nearly as hard since then," Pete replied.

At the punch bowl Dr. Orpheus was talking to Brock.

"Thankfully you have the kind of medicine I usually take for my head. I would have had to run home and get mine otherwise," Dr. Orpheus said as he sipped some punch.

"It looks like an albino is hitting on your date," Brock said as he dipped more punch.

Dr. Orpheus spilled a little bit of his punch as he turned back to see Enzeru chatting with Pete White like they had known each other all their lives. "Excuse me." He walked back over to them.

"So that's why I chose my major," Enzeru said as Byron took a seat on the other side of her. "Hello Byron, did you get something for your headache?"

"Yes, I will be fine now," Dr. Orpheus replied.

"Hello there Byron. Seems your date was my stalker in college," Pete laughed.

Enzeru laughed, "Stalker would be taking it a little far."

"Really now? I'm curious," Byron said as he raised an eyebrow.

"Pete hosted my favorite radio show when I was in college. I called in every day just to say hello and promote the school paper." Enzeru smiled.

"Ah, I take it the two of you never met face to face before?" Byron asked.

Enzeru shook her head.

"Well, she was busy with the paper and I had my show." Pete replied.

"I see. I should go find Dr. Venture and see if he needs any help with anything. I haven't seen him since I got here." With that Byron smiled and walked away.

"Geeze, he seems tense," Pete stated.

"I know," Enzeru began, "Maybe he just needs some fresh air, I could use some myself."

"Why don't we go for a walk? The weather is nice tonight," Pete replied.

"That does sound nice," Enzeru replied and stood up.

Pete stood up and offered his arm to her. He escorted her to the door.

"Where are you going?" Dr. Venture asked as he stepped into view.

"Why hello there Dr. Venture." Enzeru said with an uncomfortable smile.

"The lady was just saying she needed some fresh air and I thought I would escort her," Pete replied.

"You two will be back, right?" Dr. Venture asked.

"Of course, I just need some air." Enzeru replied, "Nice costume by the way, old school comedy."

"Why yes, no one has figured it out except you and Orpheus." Dr. Venture replied, "I won't keep you any longer. Hurry back and maybe we can get Dermot off the stage."

Enzeru smirked, "Sounds fun."

Dr. Venture opened the door to allow the two outside.

"He seems a little too found of you," Pete mumbled.

"He's alight, kinda like one of those nerds that never even spoke to a girl in high school." Enzeru giggled.

"Well, I was one of those nerds," Pete replied uncomfortably.

"Well, look where you are now," Enzeru stated as she rose her arms to the sky and twirled away.

"Yeah, where I am now," Pete replied less enthusiastically.

Enzeru sighed, "I'm sorry if I offended you. I tend to speak before I think sometimes."

"Oh, no no, it's nothing," Pete said as he forced a smile.

"Well, well, well. Seems a couple sheep have wandered from the flock," a harsh Australian voice spoke.

Enzeru gasped and looked around.

"Over here love," a man said as he stepped out of the woods. "It seems my little cousin has fallen into even worse company.

"Torrid, you foul psychopath. What are you doing here?" Enzeru snarled.

"Temper, temper. You wouldn't want to upset me. I might tell your boyfriend you're cheating on him," Torrid laughed.

"Boyfriend? You think Byron and I?" Enzeru laughed. "Check, you loose."

"Not quite," Torrid growled and hurled a fireball.

Enzeru got up a magic shield just in time and the fireball hit the ground.

"Damn you, I will be back." Torrid yelled before running off into the woods.

"What the hell?" Pete asked no one in particular.

The ground shook and began to cave in beneath Enzeru. She tried to act but there was no time. She had fallen into the sink hole. "Get Byron," She barely managed to yell out before hitting the ground hard.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"And we are on the air with the first caller of the day," Pete White's voice said over the radio.

"Hello there, I just wanted to call in and remind everyone that the special fall edition of the school paper will be out in two more days. We worked really hard on this one," Enzeru spoke into her phone receiver.

"I will certainly be picking up one," Pete replied.

"I am thrilled to hear that," Enzeru giggled.

"Maybe we could talk about it over dinner?" Pete asked.

"I wish we could but I will be in the editing room for the next couple days and then I will be choosing the stories for the next week, then I have to assign who reports on what," Enzeru sighed.

"Oh, alright. I completely understand," Pete replied.

"We can do a rain check, though," Enzeru assured.

"Will you quit flirting with that guy and proof read my paper for me?" A harsh voice interrupted.

"In a moment Shela," Enzeru told her roommate, "That's my room mate. I'll call again tomorrow. Have a good show."

"I would do any less," Pete replied, "Talk to you tomorrow."

The two of them hung up the phone.

Enzeru's eyes fluttered open, "What where?" Her head hurt badly. She stood up and looked around. It appeared she had fallen into some kind of hole. There was a tunnel ahead.

"Enzeru, are you all right," Byron's voice yelled from above.

"I'm fine, but I found a strange tunnel." Enzeru yelled back.

"I'm coming down there," Byron replied and floated down beside her.

"I'm coming too," Pete yelled and jumped in. He landed in front of Enzeru and straightened up.

"What's with the heavy artillery?" Enzeru asked as she motioned to his automatic weapon.

"Well, that freak might come back and I want to be able to protect you," Pete replied and blushed a little.

"She has no need of your protection. In fact she would probably be protecting you if he returned," Byron began, "She is one of the best fighters in the magical world."

"He's right. A girl doesn't make head paladin by hiding behind automatic weapons," Enzeru laughed a little.

Pete was speechless.

"I say we explore a little before we return to the party." Enzeru offered, wringing her hands.

"I have never seen this place before. Maybe it was part of the Native American civilization that the compound was built on." Dr. Orpheus guessed.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Enzeru replied. "Care to join us, Pete?"

"This might be interesting, besides, you owe me a rain check," Pete told Enzeru with a wink.

"A rain check?" Byron asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Back in college I told him I owed him a date. I had forgotten about it until recently," Enzeru blushed a little.

"I see," Byron's tone was less than amused. "I hope you don't mind me being a third wheel then. I was under the impression you were in danger."

Enzeru shook her head, "I'm fine now that my two best guys are here. If it wasn't for you I would never have had a chance of getting out of where ever we are." She paused a moment and let her words sink in, "Now, let's see if OZ has lions, tigers, and bears." Enzeru started walking down the dark corridor.

"It's dark in here, anyone go a light?" Pete squinted into the darkness as he followed Enzeru.

"Maybe a little fire will help." Byron summoned fire to his hands.

"A little more light might help, but I'm not sure if I should." Enzeru frowned and stopped walking a moment.

"Why not? You have a gift of pure light and you should use it!" Byron strengthened the flames in his hands as a show of what power should be used for.

"Well, as you probably have noticed our companion is an albino and everyone knows light magic does not mix with albinos." Enzeru replied as if she was quoting some old school lesson.

Pete thought a moment, "Maybe if you can keep it controlled and cover it where it shines in front of us rather than on my face I don't think I'll melt or anything," He smirked at his little joke.

"Perhaps, but one slip up, one mistake, I'm not sure if it's worth the chance," Enzeru sighed.

"It's not like anything is going to happen that I can't handle with my necromancy," Byron smiled.

"Go ahead, I'll be fine," Pete encouraged.

"If you both insist," Enzeru smiled meekly and summoned a small bead of light, using her hands to carefully shield the light in front of her.

"Let us press on," Byron urged his comrades on.

The trio pressed deeper into the underground tunnels until the only light left was the light of magic.

"Eww, something smells," Enzeru wrinkled her nose and wished to cover it. She fought back the urge.

Byron looked at Enzeru and then Pete.

"Don't look at me, I didn't even touch the bean dip. I can't even smell anything," Pete replied.

"That is not the smell of, eh, flatulence, but rather the smell of death. Usually people with magic talent can smell it more easily then normal people. There is something wrong here, this smell, even near a grave yard, is not this strong." Byron looked around for any sign of the smell's source.

"Pete, get behind us, the smell is getting stronger and it's giving me a bad feeling," Enzeru whispered.

From further up ahead in the darkness something growled and moaned.

"I'll take the first wave," Byron said as he readied himself. He knew what this was, this was a horde of undead and that was never good.

"I can't let go of this magic and if I absorb it there will not be enough light for a good fight." Enzeru tapped her foot impatiently.

A group of undead lurched for Byron and were immediately burned to a crisp.

"Good shot!" Enzeru replied excitedly.

Another wave of zombies came out of the shadows for Byron and he cut them down as well. Before he could blink a third wave came at him and caught him by surprise.

"Oh, no!" Enzeru cried.

Pete walked beside her and took out one of the guns he carried, "I know there was a reason I brought these." He shot the undead off Byron.

"Are you ok?" Enzeru called out.

"I'm fine, but I'll need your help." Byron replied, one of his arms was bleeding.

For a moment there was silence before a phone ringing cut through the quiet.

"Sorry, forgot it was on," Pete replied and moved to turn it off.

"Wait, if you use the light from that phone Enzeru will be able to fight with this," Byron pulled a battle hammer from his cape.

"You brought Mio-San!" Enzeru gasped.

Pete turned his phone light on and held it high.

Enzeru absorbed the light and took her hammer in her hands, "Good to have this here."

"I knew you would be needing it," Byron smiled, "You paladins have a way of getting yourselves into trouble."

One of the zombies Byron took out earlier got to its feet and made for Pete.

Enzeru smirked and knocked the undead's head off with the hammer. "Anyone for croquet?"

"I'll pass for now, we should get out of here. I think I should have a word with Dr. Venture." Byron frowned and clapped Enzeru on the shoulder with a heavy hand.

"There is no other reason these might be here?" Enzeru asked herself more than anyone else.

"He has played with death before. I remember an invention he had where he used an orphan to power it." Byron raised an eyebrow to show his discontent with the doctor.

"I find it hard to believe Dr. Venture would have a bunch of zombies in his basement." Pete replied, still holding up his phone.

"Then let's go ask him. May our light lead us onward," Enzeru motioned to Pete.

There were very few interruptions as the three of them made their way back to the hole in the ground. There was also little talking. It seemed they all had a bone to pick with Dr. Venture after this little run in with the undead.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Enzeru stormed through the front door of the Venture compound scowling. Byron Orpheus was hot on her heels trying to calm down and Pete White was trailing behind looking very confused.

"Please reconsider what you are about to do," Byron pleaded.

"I will not reconsider. Those souls are in torment and I must free them!" She exclaimed, looking around madly for Dr. Venture.

"What is going on, is this about the zombies?" Pete caught up to them, breathing heavy.

"There he his," Enzeru snarled as she stalked up to Dr. Venture. She pinched his ear and drug him into another, quieter room. "How dare you torment all those souls by trapping them in bodies that were no longer theirs!"

"Hey, that's my ear!" Dr Venture yelped. "I don't know what you are talking about," He replied angrily.

"Zombies, you foolish man, zombies!"

Byron Orpheus followed them and sighed, "Just explain so we can fix this already."

"Fine. I was doing an experiment to create an army of superhumans to sell off to the highest bidder. Sadly it went horribly wrong and they're either trying to eat brains or find prostitutes. I sent them into that underground place in hopes they would all just die off or something."

"You trapped people's souls in bodies with no brain power and little mobility. It's like causing them old age again and if they were never old it's like torturing them. There are so many of them we're going to have to all in the alliance's clean up crew and maybe more paladins and necromancers. Gah this is a big mess." Then Enzeru rounded on Byron Orpheus, "And you knew about this and never did anything about it! How can you call yourself a necromancer?"

"I beg your pardon, I just found out about this as well. Albeit this does sound like something Mister Venture would do."

"Fine then. You contact your master and I will contact mine. They can summon up the proper people for this and we will have the mess sorted out soon enough."

"Fine!" Byron replied and stormed off.

"Come on, Pete, I could use some company," Enzeru grabbed Pete by the hand and led him outside.

"Could you explain what's going on?" Pete asked.

"It's going to take a moment, let's have a seat," Enzeru released Pete and sat on the steps.

Pete sat down, "I'm all ears."

Meanwhile back inside Dr. Venture was telling his family about what was going on.

"It's not smart to make a paladin mad, Dr. Venture, bad things could happen." Brock said as his eyes shifted around the room.

"Hey, pops, is Dr. O's girlfriend mad at you?" Hank asked.

"She's probably just cranky cause she's tired," Dean suggested, "Like Hank when he tries to stay up all night."

"No boys, she's mad because of your father's science. You see, when people who are magic see a scientist making something that can replace them they get angry."

"Why don't you boys go play a board game with Triana and," Brock paused a moment, "my son."

"Alrighty, but if you need help with grownup stuff, I'll be right over there." Hank walked, half dragging his brother.

Back outside Enzeru had taken a crystal ball out from some unseen pocket, "And with this I'll call them here to help us clean this disaster. Byron and I will probably both receive some kind of honor or medal for this." She sighed and waved her hand over the ball.

"Ah, Lady Enzeru, how is your vacation?" A wise old man's voice asked.

"Master, I have come upon a scientist who has created zombies. I am calling to request a cleanup for at least one hundred undead." Enzeru stuck to business, that is what this was, work catching up to her.

"I see. Yes, I just got another call from the master necromancer. Apparently this case is your's and Byron's." The master paladin replied.

"Well, we kinda had a verbal dispute."

"All the same, you found it together so you will lead the cleanup together. I will send three more teams, each with a paladin and a necromancer. I'll also send a healer in case there is trouble."

"Thank you. I will await the teams."

"They will arrive in the morning, until then try and keep some light on any innocents that might be nearby."

"I will. Good night."

The crystal went dark and Enzeru sighed. "I just can't get away from work, even on vacation."

"Maybe after this is over you can come stay with me for a while. Nothing exciting ever really happens there." Pete offered.

"Maybe I will go with you for a while. My luck I'll be backed up with paper work until Christmas after this." Enzeru sighed.

"Knowing Dr. Venture he's going to have another party to show off something in his lab about that time. He does it almost every year. Good luck getting back in next year though."

"I'll bribe him. Simply, I'll bring my assistant. She's a little blonde paladin that seems too ditzy for fieldwork so they stuck her in an office with me. Likely she'll listen to him talk for hours acting like she understands what he's saying and at the end of the night ask me what he was talking about," Enzeru laughed, "She's a sweet girl though and a hell of a secretary."

"It seems as though we have been put on assignment together," Byron said as his ethereal form appeared before them.

"I guess so. Sorry I went off on you. I just feel so bad for all those tortured souls."

"I know, so do I. At least we're going to be able to do something for them."

"I'm going to head back inside. My room mate is probably looking for me." Pete sighed and went back inside.

"Where have you been?" Billy asked as Pete walked inside.

"Long story, let's go home, I'll tell you about it on the way."

The two of them left the party on a battered white motor scooter. While Enzeru kept a minor light on them until they were out the gate.

"I'm going to go to bed. We will have a long day tomorrow. I'll leave the door unlocked, just lock it behind you when you come in," Byron yawned and levitated to his home.

Enzeru stayed long enough to see all the guests out with a bright light that shined like the sun. She then returned to Byron's house and fell asleep on the sofa.

The next day she and Byron awoke at sunrise. The teams would be arriving soon to help flush out the zombies and bring them peace in the form of violence.

Enzeru stood on the front lawn by the statue of the late Dr. Venture. She wore silver armor and had her hammer attached to her belt like one would a sword. Her hair was set in a single braid. She tapped her foot impatiently and looked to the sky.

"They're running behind? Maybe we should start without them," Byron suggested. He was wearing his usually outfit.

"No, we must wait. You remember what happened last night," Enzeru sighed and shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes, I do. I also faintly remember hearing you and Pete discussing plans to spend Christmas together." Jealousy was very clear in Byron's voice. So clear Enzeru had to hold herself back from laughing.

"I'm going to be backed up with this and paperwork until then so I might as well make my plans now." Enzeru replied nonchalantly.

"But why him, why not me?"

Those words froze Enzeru in place. Why not him? She wasn't even sure if she knew what he meant by that.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I thought you took your vacation to spend time with me, well, that is what my master told me."

"That's how it started but I had no clue that I would meet up with Pete. I mean, if you had any idea how many hours I daydreamed about him." Enzeru stopped there. She could tell this wasn't helping. "Let's just focus on clearing the zombies and then we can talk about it."

There was a glow and the paladin and necromancer teams appeared in front of them.

"Ah, welcome everyone," Byron's unhappy demeanor disappeared.

"Yes, welcome indeed. What was the hold up?"

"I decided to come along," A small voice answered from the back.

The crowd parted to reveal a small blonde woman with pale green eyes. She wore similar armor as the rest and carried a sword.

"If you're here then who is running the paladin sector at HQ?" Enzeru gasped.

"The master said he could handle it."

"Glad to have you on the team, Lisa."

"So this is Lisa, hello there," Byron kept his pleasant disposition.

Lisa smiled shyly, "We should really get to work here, shouldn't we?"

"Yes, we should. We're all paired up in teams. Lisa, if our healer needs escort inside I will ask you to handle that. Until then stay back and help her as much as you can. Byron, you're with me on the first sweep. After five minutes another team will enter and then another after five more minutes. We will continue like that." Enzeru took a deep breath, "Lisa and our healer set up a base camp about fifty paces from the entrance."

"I am ready when you are," Byron told Enzeru as soon as she had stopped talking. She sure knew how to take control of a situation, and rightly so, she outranked him.

"Then let's get started. Oh, one more thing, it's dark down there so you will need to set guide lights." Enzeru began her walk to the entrance, the hole she had fallen in the night before.

"Allow me to help you," Byron offered.

Enzeru nodded and braced herself. Byron began levitating her over the hole. He then lowered her gently until she reached the bottom and then entered himself in a similar way.

"I say we make this a blitz." Enzeru offered.

"I agree. The faster we do this the faster things will return to normal."

Enzeru summoned a light and tied it to her aura. This way it would follow them as they ran through the tunnel. She then took hold of her hammer. Byron summoned a flame in each of his hands. The duo looked at each other and nodded. They hit a dead run into the dark tunnel. The light was doing its job revealing all the possible nooks someone could be hiding. They marked it with a red flag and kept running. When they came to an area they had not been in yet they stopped for a breath.

"Just like the old days," Enzeru laughed.

"Nostalgia can wait, we need to keep going. I wonder where this tunnel ends." Byron looked ahead as far as he could, "Be prepared for anything."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Enzeru replied with a smirk and began running again.

"This is weird. I haven't seen a zombie since we came down here."

"Let's keep looking. The next group is probably at the first flag by now."

The tunnel seemed to get wider up ahead. As they came to the spot where it did so they looked up at a large archway and stepped forward into a domed room. Enzeru commanded the light higher as they continued forward.

Enzeru gasped as she saw what lay around them, "Sleeping zombies? I didn't know they required sleep."

"They don't. Something funny is going on here and I don't mean the laughing kind of funny."

Another team caught up to them and similar reactions followed.

"What in the bloody hell is going on here?" The paladin asked in her thick British accent.

"I don't know." Enzeru replied, "But I have a feeling that when nightfall comes we will not want to be here alone and in the dark."

"I have an idea," Byron offered before channeling himself elsewhere.

"This is no time to be playing games." The necromancer from the other team growled.

"Show a little faith."

Meanwhile in an old world style laboratory not too far away. A man was trying to find the cure for aids.

"The Alchemist," Byron's voice echoed before his forum appeared.

"Hey Byron, Triad business as usual?"

"It's a little more complicated. Our arch took a shot at a friend of mine and revealed an underground zombie disposal. The strangest part is that the zombies require sleep."

"That is weird. I'll track down Jefferson and meet you there."

"I'll make sure and leave a magic trail."

They both disappeared. Moments later Byron returned to his body.

"Now we wait."

"Where did you go?" the necromancer asked.

"For backup. Technically this is business for the Triad. Our arch enemy was the one who, inadvertently, revealed this anomaly to us."

There was a crackling and then a pop, "Sorry it took so long. Had to convince Jefferson to join us."

"Hello again Al, been a while since you were last at HQ." Enzeru offered to shake his hand.

"Lady Enzeru, I hear you're head paladin now. How's that workin out for you?" Al asked while shaking her hand.

"It's wonderful, but we can talk later, this is what Byron was talking about," Enzeru motioned to the zombies.

"This is strange." Al began, "Maybe since they were created with science rather than with magic the rules are different."

"Thank for waiting on me. How man times do I have to say that I'm not magic!" Jefferson growled as he entered the dome room.

"Jefferson Twilight I presume?" Enzeru turned to face the man.

"Yeah, and you are?"

"I'm Enzeru, senior leader of the mission to get to the bottom of this zombie problem."

"I don't do zombies. I am a blackula hunter."

"Ever think of expanding your skills?"

"No."

Enzeru sighed and shook her head.

"Jefferson, we have a lot of work to do. If these zombies are like the ones we faced last night, and I am almost certain they are, removing their head and keeping it from them for thirty seconds will release their souls." Byron offered.

"Good idea. Removing heads I can do." Jefferson drew his blade and smirked.

Enzeru smiled and looked around at the odd mixture that made up her team. She looked at the youngest paladin and nodded. "You do me a favor, keep us a light going in here. How are you at magical shields?"

"I passed first in my class."

"Wonderful, I'll need you to keep a shield on…" Enzeru paused a moment and pointed to the youngest necromancer in the room, "You. Keep this room sealed tight. No one gets out until we destroy these things."

Enzeru took out her crystal ball and waved a hand over it, "Hey Lisa, call the master. Tell him we have discovered a difference between these zombies and the ones made by magic. Science zombies need sleep."

"Right, I'll get right on it."

"Is everyone ready?" Enzeru smiled, this was it, the old stuff.

"Yeah, but after I get done here I'm going to need a few beers and a prostitute." The youngest necromancer laughed.

There was a loud groan and several voices moaned in succession, "Prostitute…."

"Oh, shi…" The necromancer gasped and put up the seal.

The young paladin jumped as high as she could and hit the sealing with her scythe. The scythe held bast and she sat on the handle. One hand cast a spell of light while the other was casting a continuous shield on the necromancer keeping the room sealed.

"You two go around the right, you two the left. Jefferson, you and Al try and get behind these guys. Byron, we're going to charge them head on." Enzeru ordered quickly as she withdrew her hammer. "Time for an old school zombie hunt."

Everyone took their places as the zombies began lumbering in all different directions, confused as to who was in their den and why they were here.

"Move now!" Byron gave the order as he began to fire flames at the heads of the undead.

Enzeru began a demented croquet game, knocking the heads off of one zombie and then the next, carefully trying to disorient large groups into splitting up.

The paladin on the right swung her double bladed sword, hitting one and often two zombies in one swing. Her necromancer partner was using some kind of dark blade spell to sever the heads off their opponents.

The paladin on the right used two small swords as if she were performing some kind of deadly dance, turning and twirling this was and that. Her necromancer partner cast some strange spell on groups of three and four that caused them to completely fall apart.

Jefferson Twilight reached the back of the group, closely followed by The Alchemist. They were going for two at a time, Jefferson with his Japanese blades and Al with a spell that was turning the zombies to ash.

Enzeru tried to keep an eye on everyone to watch for fatigue or injury. The result of such careful watching was ending a zombie getting in her face with nasty brain breath or getting hit by one of the heavy corpses. Each time Byron caught it just in time to save her from further peril.

"It seems like no matter how many we kill more just seem to sprout up," Jefferson yelled out where everyone could hear.

Enzeru took a moment to observe the zombies. They were picking up their heads and coming back for more. "Guys, this isn't good. It seems like removing their heads is not enough!" She observed as Byron fried a zombie's head. The zombie stayed down. "Try burning the heads off or burning them after they are cut off. If any paladins know a holy fire spell now is the time to use it."

"Got it, fire good zombie bad," one of the necromancers yelled out.

"Fire bad, zombie good." One of the zombies groaned.

"Shut up," Enzeru cast holy fire through her hammer and smacked the head of the zombie to cinders.

A paladin laughed as she back flipped and caught two zombies in a sunfire spell at the same time.

"Quit showing out Gwen," the necromancer who partnered with her replied.

"How the hell am I supposed to fight these things then?" Jefferson called out.

"Byron, take this end, I'm going to give Jefferson a little magic boost, be right back." Enzeru ran across the room, jumping over zombies, using their heads like trampolines. "Give me your blade, Al cover us."

Enzeru took Jefferson's reluctantly surrendered blade. It began to glow with a strange light.

"What did you do?" He asked, hesitantly taking back his blade.

"Gave you a bit of firefly light. Have fun with it." Enzeru ran back to the other side of the room and laughed as Jefferson began using the blade.

One after the other zombies exploded with a pop and a crack, the other magically gifted people 'oohed' and 'ahhed' as Jefferson cut through the exploding zombies with very little effort.

Enzeru jumped a little at the warmth of her crystal ball seeped through her pocket. She took it out and stood behind Byron, "We're a little busy Lisa."

"The master wants one, try and bring one back unharmed."

"How the hell does he expect that?"

"I don't know. Try a net?" The crystal went dark.

"Dang it. Where am I supposed to get a net?"

"Ask Jefferson, he usually keeps one on hand."

"For what?"

"Capturing vampires, fishing, camping, who knows what else."

Enzeru nodded to Byron and yelled across the room, "Jefferson, got a net on you?"

"Yeah, why?" He yelled back.

"Capture one of these things, my master wants to study it."

"You're kidding!"

"Not in the least."

"I'll get one for you then."

"Thanks!"

The fighting went back to inner team communication. The number of zombies was dwindling down more and more. Everyone seemed to be gaining a strange burst of energy from somewhere. The light flickered a moment and Enzeru gasped, she had forgotten the paladin keeping a light on for them. She looked up as the young woman seemed to sway.

"Byron!" Enzeru gasped as the woman began to fall.

Byron Orpheus, despite his age, moved with great speed to the flickering light that fell from the ceiling of the cavern. He jumped as high as he could and caught the young woman. He landed on one knee and then straightened. He ran for the necromancer who kept the seal on the room. "Give us a light!" Byron called out.

"I've got it." Came the reply of a paladin somewhere in the darkening room. A flare of light quickly shot up into the air. "It will last a few hours, but no longer."

Enzeru ran to join the group beside the doorway. "Is she alight?" She knelt down and felt for a pulse.

"Seems like fatigue. Might want to call in our healer." Byron suggested.

"Umm, guys," the necromancer pleaded.

Enzeru and Byron turned around as one as a group of zombies converged on them.

Enzeru put up a shield to knock the undead back. Byron jumped up and began blasting every not living thing that moved.

"We must beat them back. Do not let them touch the sealer." Enzeru took her hammer to a couple of zombies and then blasted them with a light based fire.

Somehow Enzeru found a moment to call Lisa, "Escort our healer down, we have our first fatigue."

"Right away."

Moments later they were both inside and the fallen paladin was resting.

"I'll take her place." Lisa offered.

"Can you jump that high?" Enzeru asked, having never seen her young assistant in battle.

"Easily," Lisa giggled as if it were all just some kind of joke.

"Well, you will be our light and his shield," Enzeru motioned to the necromancer by the door.

Lisa grinned and jumped for the scythe hanging out of the ceiling. She grabbed hold and swung herself into a seated position. She cast a bright light, illuminating every crevasse in the domed hall.

"Excellent light!" Enzeru exclaimed.

"Thanks." Lisa replied as she shielded the necromancer by the door.

As the fight continued and zombies lost their heads the paladin-necromancer teams began to get closer until there was only one zombie left, captured in Jefferson's net.

"Good work everyone," Enzeru replied, holding her hammer out like a flag. The other paladins clinked their weapons with hers in a celebratory toast.

"That went very well. I say we return to my place for cookies and milk." Byron suggested.

His idea was met with laughs from the other necromancers.

Enzeru frowned and forced a smile; "I say that is a wonderful idea."

The laughs quieted down and became shrugs as each paladin agreed with their leader.

"Oh, what do we do with the abomination?" Byron motioned to the zombie.

"I'll call in some mages." Enzeru replied, once more taking out her crystal ball.

"Master, we have captured a liv… er, specimen for you. Could you send mages for transport?"

"I am pleased, Lady Enzeru. I assume you will be celebrating your victory. Return here when you are done. There is much work for both of us."

The crystal darkened and the mages appeared immediately. They circled and zombie and disappeared.

"That ties up the loose ends." Byron smiled, "My daughter will be home when we arrive and she will be studying. I request that you keep the noise down."

"I'll only be staying for one drink and a cookie. I must be getting back soon. I have a feeling my master will be requesting my help with the zombie." Enzeru replied.

"Will I still be running the office?" Lisa asked.

"You will have to. I'll be way too busy." Enzeru sighed.

"Don't worry, I will be there every day for a visit," Byron exclaimed as he led the group through the tunnel.

There was a whistle from the back of the group.

"What? I'm doing it to be a good friend." Byron replied innocently.

Enzeru smiled, "This makes me miss the old days. A good long fight and then a nice short goof off session to relax me before doing paperwork."

"So this is what it's like," Lisa whispered.

"Yeah, pretty much." Enzeru replied.

They left the tunnel by a rope ladder that had been fixed in place by Lisa and the healer.

"And that is why they won't let me in the Canadian national cemetery." The young necromancer laughed as Byron led the group into his home.

"Dad, who are all these people?" Treana jumped to her feet.

"It's okay pumpkin, these are daddy's friends. We just got back from working." Byron told his daughter in his sweetest voice.

Treana raised an eyebrow. "I'm just going to go hang out with Kim for a while." Treana picked up her car keys and hurried off.

"I apologize. She is very uncomfortable with magic." Byron told everyone with a sigh.

"I should take her to HQ with me some time. Maybe a bit of culture shock would help," Enzeru offered.

"I'd rather not traumatize her." Byron declined.

"You could always show her the happy fun side of magic," Lisa suggested.

"There is no 'happy fun' side of magic. It is serious business, not a game."

Enzeru and Lisa looked at each other and nodded.

"Well, she only knows how serious and dangerous it is. Why not show her how helpful and useful our talents are?"

"Yeah, Byron, she needs to know how 'hip and happening' magic is." Al offered.

Byron looked to Jefferson for support, "Sorry man, this is something the father has to decide."

"Give me time to think it over." Byron replied.

Everyone sat in the living room and talked about the old days and their plans for the future. The sun began to rise as they all finished one last glass of milk.

The group began to dwindle down until it was just Enzeru, Byron and Lisa.

"We should really be getting back. Lisa has to do my paper work and I have to run tests on a zombie." Enzeru smirked.

"Be careful. The undead are very tricky. You can never tell what they might be thinking." Byron warned as he and the girls stood.

Lisa yawned, "I wonder if the master would mind me getting some sleep before doing the paperwork."

"Under the circumstances, I think he would prefer you get your rest. Let's get back to HQ." Enzeru put a hand on her assistant's shoulder.

"I'll walk you both to the mage. He's waiting for you both by the statue." Byron offered an arm to each of them. He escorted the women to a robed mage standing beside the statue of the late Dr. Venture.

"Who's been in my lab?" A yell came from Dr. Venture's home.

"I'll take care of this. You just worry about the zombie and the paperwork." Byron told them both before running off to check on his neighbor.

"Ready?" The mage asked in a deep voice.

"Whenever you are," Enzeru replied.

Lisa nodded.

In a magical shimmer they were gone with the mage.


	7. Chapter 7

A long white hallway stretched out ahead ahead. It was draped here and there with portraits of former masters, living greenery, and broken weaponry. Enzeru took a deep breath and began her walk, having only been back just long enough to get a shower and a change of clothes. She wore white sweats and running shoes and looked nothing like the warrior who fought zombies only a few hours ago. Her still damp hair was loosely held up with a hair clip. She reached her master's office door and knocked.

"Come in." The voice of an elderly man replied.

Enzeru opened the door and entered, closing it behind her. The room no longer looked like an office, but rather an interrogation room. "How is it going?"

"I have tested it, I have observed it, and it confuses me." The master replied. "It sleeps, has no need of eating, and no amount of light seems to bother it. If we would have allowed them to prosper they could have destroyed a lot of property and killed a lot of people."

"So you have learned everything you can?" Enzeru asked.

"I have but others may still benefit from learning. I will be sending it to a private research lab to allow a paladin of incredible repute to finish my research. He is known as the leader of the Sons of Solomon so I know he will do a great job." The master took a deep breath, "My task for you is to do the paperwork from the mission and for the transfer of this thing." He pointed to a pile of paperwork. "It's mostly reading and review."

Enzeru nodded, "I'll get started if you get someone to move it to my office."

"The interns will meet you there." The master replied.

Enzeru nodded, "Thank you." She bowed lightly and left the room quietly.

No sooner had she left then a voice got her attention, "Hey, Enzeru, I've got us some snacks and stuff. Let's pull a couple all nighters to get a head start, like we did in the old days," Lisa called out as she caught up to Enzeru, carefully juggling a couple of large bags.

"Sounds like fun." Enzeru began, "Let's get this stuff done before Christmas."

"Ah, do you have plans with a certain necromancer?" Lisa giggled and pushed a bag into Enzeru's hands.

Enzeru took the bag and laughed, "No, we're not like that. It's more like having that one girlfriend you grew up with and you can tell anything to except she is a he."

"Oh, that's cool. It's like us only you've known him longer and don't get to see him every day." Lisa skipped down the hallway. It was hard to tell she was anywhere near a battle ground hours before. She was always so full of energy and that energy seemed to resonate through everyone she met.

"Yeah something like that," Enzeru laughed and joined her in skipping to the office they kept at he other end of the hall.

When they opened the door they were met with towers of paperwork and two interns that bowed themselves out as they left. Enzeru frowned and Lisa's jaw dropped.

"We have a lot of work to do." Enzeru whispered and then made her way to her desk. She set the bag she was holding on Lisa's desk.

Back at the Venture compound Brock Sampson was taking a walk. As he approached the hole in the ground that had been made the night before his nose wrinkled in disgust, "Sulfur?"

"What kind of fur? Bunny? Dear? Do we have poachers on our land?" Hank asked as he joined Brock beside the hole, closely followed by his brother, Dean.

"What reaks?" Hank asked once had had got close enough to smell it. He quickly plugged his nose.

"Eww, I know that smell. That jerk that kidnapped Treana made that smell. Do you think he's going to do it again?" Dean pointed at the hole.

"Well, he did make the hole but I don't know why he would attack Enzeru and White. He's not their arch." Brock smirked, "Hey, what do you boys say we fill up this hole, huh?"

"Sweet, I'm going to go get a shovel," Hank raced off.

"Can't you just use that thing?" Dean asked and pointed to a dozer.

"That was my plan. Why don't you catch up to your brother and tell him about it?"

"Right O," Dean replied and hurried after Hank.

Brock jumped into the dozer seat and quickly covered the hole.

A few weeks later at Alliance headquarters. Lisa and Enzeru were still hard at work.

"Why don't they make a single booklet for this kind of thing?" Lisa asked Enzeru who was pausing for a break.

"Well, this is a very unique, and just plain strange circumstance. Not every day someone else's archenemy blasts a hole in the ground to reveal a hidden den of science made zombies. Then there is the matter of time. No one takes the time to make things easier on others." Enzeru rubbed her eyes, "We're out of coffee aren't we?"

"Maybe I could do it." Lisa looked at the coffeepot and nodded, "Yeah, we're out again."

"You can give it a shot but those old people on the council don't like to agree on anything but disagreeing." Enzeru sighed and stood a moment to stretch.

"So about your necromancer friend," Lisa began.

"Not this again. I told you that we're just friends." Enzeru sighed.

"So, did you meet anyone interesting at the party?"

"Why is everyone so interested in my love life?"

Lisa shrugged, "Everyone loves a good mystery. They pretty much think you don't date or even go out anywhere. You're always locked in this office working."

Enzeru sighed and fiddled with a pen on her desk. "Don't tell anyone, but I did meet someone."

"Oh, this is more like it. So tell me about him. Is he a mage?"

"Nope."

"Necromancer?"

"Nope."

"Healer? Paladin?"

"No and no."

"Oh my goodness, he must be a scientist!"

"Of sorts."

"You don't like that Dr. Venture weirdo, do you?"

"Hades no."

"Then who? Tell me already!"

"He's a computer Tech I met the first time I was in college."

"Is he hot?" Lisa paused a moment, "Silly question, I guess?"

"Yes, I have to get back to work."

"Alright, I'll get some coffee and get started on that shortened form. I sure hope they accept it quickly."

"Same here."

"By the way, the US is celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow. Want to go see the parade?"

"No, I'll pass. Got to get done by Christmas."

"Going to watch it on TV?"

"Sure, why not."

There was a knock on the door.

"Too many interruptions." Enzeru grumbled. "Come." She barked.

Byron Orpheus entered the room with a wide grin on his face, "I brought you something." His sing song voice told the women he was in a good mood.

"Oh, come on in. I didn't know you were coming in today or I would have cleaned the place up a bit." Enzeru motioned to the piles of papers.

"I thought I'd surprise you with some of this bottled coffee product my daughter enjoys so much." Byron shut the door behind him, "Hello Lisa, helping Enzeru with her paperwork?"

Lisa laughed, "Something like that."

"Lisa is trying to concentrate all of this," Enzeru motioned to the piles around her, "into a single booklet."

"I think it might be possible. If you initial at key points and only sign once," Byron stroked his beard.

"But will the council go for it?" Enzeru wondered outloud.

"Well, I for one will be doing everything I can out there to help you both."

"Thanks, I appreciate that. How is Treana?"

"Treana?" Lisa was lost from this conversation.

"My daughter. She's still a little rebellious. She didn't want to come here with me today, something about being scared of magic."

"That's sad, I'd like to show her how much fun magic can be if used responsibly." Enzeru sighed.

Lisa busted out laughing, "You sound like our master."

"You're right," Enzeru laughed a little.

"I'm going to get going, I have to teach a conjuring class in a few minutes. Take it easy. See you at Christmas time," Byron said before he hurried off, leaving the coffee for the two women.

Somewhere near the Venture compound a villain was testing his new mechanical limbs.

"It's a start. If it wasn't for your distraction I never would have been able to get this far. I'm going to go get revenge on the first of many people who have wronged me in the past." Phantom Limb began.

"Well, I've got one person I want to get revenge on. I missed her with my first shot but the next one will hit and it will be torrid." Torrid began his own revenge spill.

"I shall start with the Manotaur and work my way around. I must be careful. Very careful. Bowie will be looking for me. I will need a wingman."

"No, I've got to keep arching Orpheus and his losers. Then I'll get on to arching my cousin. She will pay."

"What did she do to you anyway?"

"Her father took the entire family fortune for himself, leaving my family nothing."

"And her father?"

"I killed him and he left her everything."

"Then join me and I promise you revenge."

"I'll support you but I'm not going to do so openly. Bowie would kick me out of the guild, literally. I like my full dental and partial health coverage."

"Suit yourself, I'll return here eventually. Goodbye Torrid."

The two men walked away in separate directions knowing the next time they saw each other would likely not be on friendly terms. No one turned down a partnership with Phantom Limb without experiencing some kind of suffering.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Enzeru, there is something you need to know."

"Pete?"

"He's coming, we have to get out of here."

"Who?"

"You know who. He's dangerous."

"Then we must prepare. But how do you know all this."

"You'd be surprised what you would learn if you just open your eyes."

Enzeru jumped back into the waking world. That was a strange dream. Normally they are not so forwardly cryptic, but the ancients sure knew nothing of privacy.

"Are you ok?" Lisa asked. She was wearing a santa cap and a red and green hoop skirt; her long blond hair was up in a bun.

"Yes, I had a strange dream. It's like the stories the master tells when he wants to give us a message from the ancients." Enzeru stretched as she spoke. She must have been out for a while. The desk did not make the best pillow.

"You probably needed that nap. Oh, by the way, early Christmas pressie," Lisa tossed two booklets on Enzeru's desk.

"Finally. Thanks so much, Lisa." Enzeru opened the booklets, "They're already filled out."

"Yep, get yourself packed. Byron is here and says you can stay with him for a while. Why am I telling you all this," Lisa rolled her eyes and opened the office door. "She's awake now."

Byron Orpheus entered the room, "Good morning, Enzeru. Seems you needed a nap."

"Yeah, for some reason I feel the ancients are trying to tell me something." Enzeru smoothed her hair back and used a ponytail holder to put it up.

"I see. What did they say?"

"He is coming." Enzeru watched Byron raise an eyebrow, "It was more of a warning than anything else."

"I see, well, I guess you should probably watch your back. I shall do my best to help you if you come stay with me for the sweet little holiday people call Christmas." He spoke of the holiday as if it was a cute little puppy.

Enzeru laughed a little, "Certainly. Let me get packed." She began walking for the door and stopped a moment, "You two talk here a moment. It won't take long." She continued out the door and took off at a run for her room.

Back in the office there was silence.

"So, Lisa, do you have any pets?" Byron broke the silence with an attempt to make conversation.

"Yes, a parakeet. I love birds, they're so pretty." Lisa giggled.

"I prefer cats myself. They're so much cleaner than dogs and birds." Byron rose an eyebrow.

"I like birds because they sing. They don't sound like a crying baby when they do, either." Lisa narrowed her eyes at Byron.

"With cats you can hold them and pet them without feeling like you're going to brake them. And my cat has a nice voice." Byron's agitation was showing in his voice.

Enzeru sprinted up the stairs and into her room. She wildly tossed things into her bag and then zipped it up. Enzeru opened the door and ran right into her master.

"Sorry master. I'm off for Christmas. The papers should have made it to your office by now."

"It's alright, Enzeru. I just wanted to remind you that no matter what happens you will always be part of the alliance of Merlin and you will always be my best pupil. After your parents signed you over to me, as my child, I have done everything I can to educate you in everything. There is one thing I have not been able to teach you, and that is how to fall in love. That is one lesson you will have to learn yourself, and I feel like it is time. I am proud of you, I know your mother is, and I'm sure your father would be if he was still alive."

"Thank you master. I still hope to one day avenge my father."

"Vengeful thoughts hold back feelings of love and kindness. Let justice happen, do not force it."

"I will remember that lesson. If you will excuse me, I made the mistake of leaving Lisa and Byron alone. If they start talking pets or politics we will be in trouble."

The master laughed, "Then go be a beacon of light upon the world."

Enzeru bowed lightly and was scooped into a fatherly bearhug.

"Birds are very smart, cats have to be told what to do." Lisa barked.

"No, that's dogs that have to be told what to do. Cats are smarter than birds, how else would they catch the birds for sustenance?" Byron was nearly shouting.

Enzeru walked in, carrying her bag, "I'm ready to go."

Both Lisa and Byron turned and smiled like parents who had been fighting and their toddler had just come into the room.

Enzeru gave them both a skeptical look. "Mmkay then. That was kinda creepy. Anyway, I'm ready to go. Lisa, hold things together here for me. If you need me I have my crystal packed up. Try and keep in touch."

"Be safe. I hope you like cats." Lisa smirked.

"I will, I do, no worries." Enzeru shook hands with Lisa.

"We should get going." Byron began, "My daughter will be getting home in two hours and I want to be there when she does."

"Then we shall go." Enzeru opened the door and waited for Byron to exit first.

"Do you want me to carry that bag for you?" Byron asked.

"I can get it," Enzeru replied.

"I want to be a gentleman, people are giving us looks," Byron looked around the hall.

"Actually I think it's because I'm walking down the hall with a man and I have an overnight bag with me."

"That is a possibility. You do have a reputation for not dating." Byron took the bag from Enzeru.

"Wow, even you know about that."

They made their way to the altar stone where the mages were waiting for them.

"Same place as last time." Enzeru began, "Enzeru Tomoshibi."

"I shall go with her. Dr. Byron Orpheus."

Meanwhile at an undisclosed location in the deserts of North America Pete while was sitting at his computer desk, thinking.

Billy walked into the living room and yawned, "You've been sitting at that desk for two days straight."

Pete gave Billy a side-glance and then looked at the computer screen.

"Are you thinking about that woman again?" Billy decided to probe further.

"I can't help it. My mind keeps drifting. I can't play video games, I can't write programs, I can't even read without her flooding back into my head."

"Sometimes when someone is on your mind it means you are on their mind too."

"Yeah, well, probably not in this case. I mean look at me. I'm an albino."

"And you're totally gay."

"Actually this proves I'm straight."

"Yeah, but you still radiate gay."

"There has to be a way to somehow capitalize on this without getting hurt."

"No, no way. No more schemes. We need to stay honest."

"Have you ever known me to be completely straight forward with anything?"

"Yes. You just were."

"You saw the dress she was in right?"

"Yes."

"She looked like a million. If she found out I didn't have that kind of cash you know she would never want anything to do with me."

"Well, she saw you were an albino and still liked you. And if everyone else can see how gay you are she can too."

"For the last time I'm not gay. We will be going to Dr. Venture's Christmas party tomorrow."

"Quit changing the subject."

It was windy day at the venture compound. Clouds passed by overhead, forming interesting shapes. Hank and Dean were outside watching the clouds, pointing out the different things they saw.

"I see a puppy. He looks like Scamp." Hank pointed to a fuzzy looking cloud.

"I see a flower. I wonder what Treana's favorite flower is," Dean sighed dreamily.

"I see Dr. O and that woman that he was with at our Halloween party."

"Where?"

"Over by the gate."

Dean looked over by the gate and sure enough Dr. Orpheus and Enzeru were there, walking up the road, talking.

Hank jumped up, "Let's go say hello."

"Maybe they want to be alone." Dean suggested.

"No, they'd be inside if they did."

Dean smiled and jogged over to the adults with his brother.

"Hello boys," Dr. Orpheus said as Hank and Dean came up to him.

"Hello Doctor O." Hank said with a smile.

"Dr. Orpheus, when is Treana coming home?"

"Same time as every day, Dean." Dr. Orpheus replied.

"Will you boys do me a favor and not tell your father I'm here until we come to the party tomorrow?" Enzeru asked, keeping the most serious face she could.

"Why not? Dad seemed to really enjoy your last visit." Hank looked curiously at the woman.

"Because usually when I have to kill someone's zombies they don't react to well to me the next time they see me."

"But I thought dad was glad to get rid of them," Dean began, "And Brock too.

"Well, all the same, I would rather him not know yet." Enzeru frowned.

"I'll keep your secret miss." Hank saluted her.

"I don't know, maybe dad should know." Dean frowned.

"Dean, I'm an adult and I know she's here so that makes it okay," Dr. Orpheus tried to explain it to the boy in the most simple way he could.

"Alright Dr. Orpheus, I trust you." Dean smiled and walked away.

Hank followed him to the spot where they were sitting earlier.

"They seem to be good boys." Enzeru observed.

"They are very well behaved, well mannered, and it's all thanks to those vile brainwashing beds Dr. Venture made for them." Byron replied offhandedly.

Enzeru's eyes widened, "You're kidding me."

"Don't even think about it. That's how these science types operate. We use spells to remove the memories that might damage our children and scientists use devices to do the same." Byron knew she was thinking about going on another of her crusades for justice. The alliance was always buzzing about how she brought law and order to this group or that. He began walking again in a straight line for his home.

Enzeru followed Byron and laughed lightly, "Now why would I try and do something about that after hearing that explanation. Do they know that their father is doing this?"

"I think Dean might suspect something but Hank seems oblivious." Byron seemed to be watching for someone or something.

"Is something wrong?"

"Last time you were here my arch attacked you. I don't want it to happen again."

"Your arch is my father's sister's son. My father inherited the family estate and my cousin hates the fact I now have it. I'm sure my just being around you has him thinking he can pass us off as a couple so the guild can not punish him for killing me if he were to catch me off guard. But he won't." Enzeru smiled, "Let's not talk about something so unpleasant. The weather is nice today."

The two of them reached Byron's home, the lab behind the main building of the Venture compound.

"You're right. It's a warm day for Christmas but the weather is far too nice to waste it talking about unpleasantness. When Treana gets home I'll start dinner, do you like sloppy joes?" Byron could take a hint when it came to people not wanting to talk about family problems. He opened the door and lead Enzeru to the sitting room.

"Certainly. I don't follow the veagan philosophy in the least." Enzeru laughed and sat in the nearest chair. "I've been thinking about what I'm going to wear to the party. I have it narrowed down to two outfits. One of them is white and gold and the other is red and green."

"I don't even have to see them. Wear the white and gold one. Red isn't your color." Byron sat down in the chair next to the one she was in. He turned on the TV and flipped around until he found the Christmas specials.

"Do you watch the specials every year?"

"No, just when I'm not doing much at this time of year." Byron paused a moment, "It's such a sweet holiday from the Christian perspective. The pagan perspective is inspiring. There is just so much going on at this time of year, Christmas, Yule, so many other holidays, it's easy to just get lost in it all. One theme I see in all these holidays is togetherness. If I can get Treana to stay home just for the next few days I will feel like I'm celebrating with everyone else."

Enzeru had rarely seen Byron like this. She assumed he was missing having a full family home for the holidays. His ex-wife left him alone with his daughter who never was home for long. Perhaps this year it would be different. Enzeru felt the need to help, as she so often did. This would certainly not be the easiest thing she has ever done, after all dealing with teens annoyed her when she was training some of the paladin in the alliance.

"I'm sorry, we're talking about family problems again." Byron smiled a little, "Are you thirsty? I make a good nog."

"It's alright. If you need to talk something out you can. As for the nog, not right now, maybe later tonight."

The front door opened and shut, "Dad, I'm home."

"We're in the sitting room, Pumpkin." Byron called to Treana.

"What do you mean we?" Treana asked before walking into the room. Treana noticed Enzeru, "Hello." She turned back to her father, "Kim is having a party at her house tonight so I'm going to be there until late."

"I'm making sloppy joes tonight for dinner. I'm going to get that started," Byron excused himself to the kitchen and left the two ladies alone.

"How are you Treana? Doing well in school?" Enzeru asked.

"I'm alright. School is boring, all they do is try and make me learn things I already know and keep me from talking to my friends."

"Normal schools always were boring to me as well. Thankfully they accepted me into the day school for the alliance at a young age. They encourage teamwork and discussion in class and teach you something new every day."

"You have to be around magic all the time. I bet there are zombies and vampires and stuff roaming the halls."

"What makes you dislike magic?"

"It's not normal or natural."

"Magic is as old as time itself. As for normal, you don't strike me as a conformist."

"I don't want to be labeled as weird, besides, there is nothing magic about me."

"You suppress it because of your negative feelings for it."

"You don't know what's it's like to be kidnapped by some fire covered jerk or have something so scary in your closet you can't even look to see what it is."

"I know it's like to be related to a fire covered jerk and to be pushed into a gateway like that at the age of nine. There is so much you have yet to experience and you have the ability to see more in life that what others see."

"Like what?"

"The reality behind fantasy stories. Fairies, unicorns, orcs and goblins, it's all real, like Vampires. You have the magic within you."

"Okay, if you show me a unicorn or a fairy I'll consider trying to find 'magic within me'."

"I will if you spend time with your father this holiday. He may be a little corny some times but he really cares about you and wants to spend the holiday with you."

"I thought he didn't celebrate Christmas."

"It's the whole spirit of the holiday season. He sees all these people together and happy and feels alone."

"I'll do it."

"Then it's a deal."

Byron returned to the sitting room wearing a flower-covered apron. "Dinner is ready ladies."

Enzeru laughed a little and made her way to the dinning area in the kitchen behind Byron. The three of them, including Treana, sat down for a meal.


	9. Chapter 9

Enzeru awoke to a yell coming from the kitchen. At first she thought she had imagined it but upon closer thought she realized she did not.

Forgetting her robe she jumped up from the couch bed she had been using and hurried to the kitchen, unsure what to expect.

Byron stood at the sink holding his hand under the running water. The smell of freshly baked cookies lingered in the room as well as several trays of other deserts.

"Are you alright?" Enzeru asked, her breathing staggered and hear racing.

"Oh, did you hear that? I'm sorry, I just burned my hand a little trying to take the cookies out of the oven," Byron smirked, "Seems you caught me in one of my baking moods."

"You bake?" Enzeru smiled, "That's really cool. Most men I know don't even know how to boil water."

Byron laughed, "Well, I suppose it's a hobby and they might view it as work."

"Perhaps so, perhaps not. Anyway, I take it all of this is for the Christmas party tonight?"

"You guessed correctly. I suppose I just want to share the bounty of season's greetings."

"Lovely. Say, where is Treana?"

"I think she's still asleep."

"I'm suprised she isn't here helping. What young girl doesn't like to bake?"

"She doesn't. She likes to spend time with her friends and listen to music."

"Then maybe if we try listening to her kind of music she might be more inclined to stay home."

"I've tried that and she only got annoyed with me when I sang along and got the word wrong."

Enzeru laughed and took a seat at the dining table, "Maybe if we try to get the words right? We can ask her what her favorite songs are and look the words up on the Internet. It may not be an instant fix but it might help."

Treana walked into the room and yawned, "What's all this for?"

"I got in a baking mood and decided to fix some stuff for the Venture's Christmas get together." Byron smiled and turned off the kitchen sink. He dried his hands and took a seat at the dining table.

Treana sat at the table with them, "Is there any coffee?"

"I was about to brew some," Enzeru replied with a smile.

"No need, I already made some." Byron walked over to the bar and moved a basket of cookies so he could reach the coffeepot. He poured three cups and brought them to the table, "What do you ladies like in your coffee?"

"I'll take three sugars and two creamers." Enzeru smelled the coffee and smiled. She always enjoyed a good cup of coffee in the morning.

Treana was already drinking hers.

"Have a long night?" Enzeru asked Treana who had just drained her cup.

"Yeah, I kept hearing sounds coming from my closet. I came into the kitchen for a few hours and couldn't stay awake any longer."

Byron dropped the box he kept the creamer packets in and quickly picked it up.

"What did these sounds resemble?" Enzeru raised an eyebrow.

"Like clawing and a man talking."

Byron hurried back to the table with the creamers and sugars. "More coffee, pumpkin?"

"Sure, dad."

Byron smiled and filled his daughter's cup.

"Sounds like you may have been either between a dream and reality or perhaps it's a doorway to…" Enzeru was interrupted.

"The clothes you never wear. I know, let's go shopping together. It would be fun."

Enzeru shook her head at Byron, "Just tell her. I can't believe she doesn't know."

"Well, maybe it's one of those things parents need to keep secret so they don't scar their children for life."

"I'm not a child anymore. Tell me."

"I still don't think…"

"Just tell her."

"Fine. It's a doorway to the necropolis. It is the home of the man who taught me how to be a necromancer. In essence, it's a short cut to my boss's house."

Treana sat silently for a moment and then spoke, "Why is it in my closet?"

"You insisted on that room and the doorway must be on that side of the house."

"So there is a gateway to the underworld in my closet?"

"No, not the underworld, the necropolis."

"So your boss lives in my closet?"

"No, it's a gateway to another dimension. It's like having an instant teleport to one place to another."

"Ah, ok, I get it, I think."

Enzeru tilted her head to the side, "If there was an emergency would it be possible to set the portal to another location?"

"Of course, one simple spell and we could go on a beach vacation or walk though another dimension. I use it all the time to chase Torrid."

"He can't get in through there, can he?"

"No sweetie, the portal is always set to the necropolis. People from this world are the only ones who can use it so you don't have to worry about the master bothering you either."

"So it's safe?"

"Yes, maybe safer than if it were not there. If anyone ever tries to hurt you just run in there and close the door. You just might want to cover your eyes until the master says he's decent."

"Well, with that settled, what is everyone doing today?"

"I'm probably going to go see what Dean is doing. My friends are mostly out of town." Treana downed another cup of coffee.

"I'm going to finish this last batch of cookies and watch some television. Not really anything going on with the Order of the Triad."

"I'll probably do a little exercise or train then watch television. This is my vacation, after all."

Byron stood, "Then we will all go to the Venture Christmas party tonight together."

Many hours later Enzeru sat in the living room lacing her leather boots she wore over her stockings. Her skirt came halfway to her knees and her sweater clung to her. Her clothes were red and green.

Treana came down from her room wearing a Christmas cap and her usual outfit.

Byron walked out of his room whistling.

"So we're ready then?" Enzeru asked and jumped up from her seat.

"Help me carry these baskets of cookies," Byron led the ladies into the kitchen.

They all grabbed a basket and made their way to the Venture home.

Byron knocked on the door, carefully balancing his cookie basket.

Brock answered the door, "Oh, it's you guys. Come in. Doc is in his lab and the boys are in their room. Wait in the sitting room, I'll go get them." He showed them in and to the sitting area.

There was another knock at the door and they heard Brock's voice, "Yeah, come in, they're in the sitting area."

"Thanks, fella, wouldn't miss this party for the world."

Enzeru recognized that voice. She stood up and smiled as he walked in, "Good to see you again, Pete."

"Same to you. So how did it go?"

"Tiresome. My assistant created a shorter version of the paperwork when I was about five feet away from finishing."

"Five feet?"

Byron smirked, "It's how they used to measure paperwork at headquarters."

"How many feet was it total?" Pete raised an eyebrow.

"A couple hundred."

Billy joined them, "Hey White, introduce me."

"Billy, Enzeru, Enzeru, Billy." Pete replied offhandedly.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Pete's room mate and coworker. We run conjectural technologies together."

"That's nice," Enzeru told Billy and then whispered to Pete, "Please tell me that guessing him to be in his thirties is right."

Pete smirked and nodded.

"So, I wonder who else is going to show up," Byron wondered aloud.

People filed into the party a few at a time and soon the house was full.

Dr. Venture came out of his lab wearing the ugliest brown seventies outfit, complete with Scorpio medallion.

"Oh my god." Enzeru stifled a laugh.

Byron smirked as he watched his landlord and friend strut into the room and up to his friend.

"So honey, like what you see?" The scientist asked.

Enzeru could smell alcohol on him so she decided to be polite. "Truthfully, I believe you have a very unique outfit."

"Unique isn't the right word for it," Pete added under his breath.

"I was not aware this was a costume party." Byron began, "If you want I can go get my other cape and a staff. I think I could pull off a very convincing Jafar from that Disney movie pumpkin used to make me watch with her."

"Well, at least a woman likes my outfit and that's what matters." Dr. Venture began, "What do you say I try on some of my other clothes for you?"

"I must turn you down. I'm already the date of two guys and I don't think I can handle a third." Enzeru laughed uneasily.

"Ah, come on, you know you want to," Dr. Venture took a step in the direction of Enzeru and she stepped back.

"Hey Enzeru, do you dance?" Pete tried to change the conversation.

"Yes, but not to this modern stuff. Put on some classical and I'll dance."

"Oh, do you still remember how to ballroom dance?" Byron raised an eyebrow.

"Of course."

"What about me?" Dr. Venture asked.

"Have a seat, relax. This is your party and you shouldn't have to dance." Enzeru replied.

"But I wanna," Dr. Venture whined.

"Pete asked first. Byron, would you get the music for us?"

"Certainly." Byron walked over to the CD player and put in a CD. He couldn't find the play button.

Billy rolled his eye and pressed the button.

Classical music began to play. Enzeru smiled, "Shall we?"

"I don't really do this kind of thing but what the hey," Pete took Enzeru's hand and began to lead her in a waltz.

Treana sipped a soda and looked at Dean, "Isn't this music totally old school."

"Yeah, totally," Dean smiled awkwardly, "Do you want to dance?"

"About time you asked," Treana grabbed Dean's hand and began dancing with him.

"Would ya look at that, they look so sweet together," Pete told Enzeru.

"I know, it's adorable." Enzeru giggled.

Outside the building things were heating up almost just as much.

"Torid."

"Phantomos."

"It's time to launch our plan now that I have my new metal limbs."

"Good, it's about time I got a chance to do something torrid."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Use your name to describe your actions."

"Cause it sounds cool, got a problem with it?"

"Yes but we can talk about that later, the time to act is now. Cut the wires!"

Torrid rolled his eyes and burned out the wires.

"Good, now to the back door."

The lights and music went out on the party guests. There were gasps of surprise and a scream.

"Alright, calm down everybody, Doc get everyone into the panic room while I figure out what the hell is going on here," Brock told the drunk Doctor Venture, "On second though, Hank, you do it."

"Alright everybody, follow me," Hank yelled and motioned for everyone to follow him.

"Pete, Byron, go with them. I'm going to help Brock. If my cousin is behind this he will not be able to go it alone." Enzeru took a deep breath, "Be careful."

"No, Enzeru, we shall fight them together!" Byron replied with all the drama he could muster.

Enzeru shook her head, "No, you protect the others."

"But you will need my help," Byron began.

"No. I order you to help the others. I outrank you, no more questions." Enzeru's eyes held a certain fury that could only indicate this fight just got personal.

Byron held his hands up and backed away.

The party goers began filing out of the room.

"Come on dad, we got to go," Triana said as she pulled at Byron's arm.

"Has anybody seen Billy?" Pete asked.

Everyone looked at each other only to be met with the same clueless look.


End file.
